The community of Emerson is preparing for high water on the Red River this spring.

Predictions of a 2009 size flood with normal weather conditions have most communities on high alert this season.

2009 was a big flood for Emerson and surrounding area, according to Emerson-Franklin reeve Dave Carlson.

"Looking back on our 2009 flood record, we deployed about 4,200 sandbags in the area and we did have some road washouts closer to the river. So, yes, if it gets to that size, it will definitely be inconvenient."

Favourable weather and slow and steady snowmelt this spring would go a long way to changing the predicted size of the flood, reducing it to a smaller high water event similar to 2011.

Carlson says the ring dike surrounding Emerson worked well in 2009 and 2011, and he expects it will do the same this year.

"It's certainly well protected. In 2009 people were able to get in and out of the community, so we're confident in what we have here. I think we're also hoping for a slow melt ... so that some of that water can seep into the ground."

The reeve doesn't anticipate too many flood problems along the Roseau River to the east, which winds its way through the municipality.

Carlson recalls, however, because the area received some significant rainfall in spring of 2009, a significant number of culverts in the municipality collapsed and resulted in a fair number of road washouts as well.